Methods for Secure Transactions

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for a secure transaction utilizing a portable radio communication device (10), wherein both parts in the secure transaction are protected against fraudulent actions, among other things by use of a common transaction identity on a predefined transaction server.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/714,474, entitled “METHOD FOR SECURE TRANSACTIONS,’ filed Sep. 25,2017, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/742,135,entitled “METHOD FOR SECURE TRANSACTIONS,’ filed May 10, 2010, which isa 35 USC § 371 National Stage application of International ApplicationNo. PCT/SE2008/051403, entitled “METHOD FOR SECURE TRANSACTIONS,” filedon Dec. 4, 2008, which claims priority to Swedish Application No.0702686-7, filed Dec. 4, 2007, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to transactions, andparticularly to secure transactions utilizing a portable radiocommunication device, such as a mobile phone, personal digitalassistant, portable computer or similar.

BACKGROUND

It is today common with transactions initiated and performed via e.g.Internet. Further, with mobile phones or similar devices it is todaypossible to perform transactions and related actions through datacommunication via wireless communication. This provides for a very neatway of performing secure transactions, by always having an electronicauthentication device at hand, which could be used as a securewallet/bank solution. However, this also provides for a variety of waysto manipulate the transaction systems in order to fraud one or both ofthe parts in a transaction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is thus to provide securetransactions for portable radio communication devices.

This object, among others, is according to the present inventionattained by a method as defined by the appended claims.

By providing a method for secure transactions wherein both parts in atransaction are connected to a predefined transaction server andindependently approves the transaction a secure transaction is achieved.

Preferably, the transaction identity is kept unique only during aspecific transaction, whereby the necessary amount of transactionidentities can be kept very low at the transaction server, beinglimiting only for handling parallel transactions at the transactionserver.

The unique transaction identity is preferably created by the transactionserver upon request from the first transaction part, which provides foran assured solution for the first transaction part. Alternatively, thetransaction identity is created by the second transaction part, whichfacilitates the transaction for the first transaction part. Further, fore.g. Internet bank login a predefined transaction identity is preferablyused.

The verification is preferably performed by entering a personalidentification number (PIN) in the portable radio communication device,which PIN is selected during installation of user transaction software.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be evidentfrom the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description of embodiments given below and the accompanyingfigures, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are notlimitative of the present invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically shows the steps of a method for secure transactionsaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 schematically shows communication between transaction partsaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, for purpose of explanation and notlimitation, specific details are set forth, such as particulartechniques and applications in order to provide a thorough understandingof the present invention. However, it will be apparent for a personskilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in otherembodiments that depart from these specific details. In other instances,detailed description of well-known methods and apparatuses are omittedso as not to obscure the description of the present invention withunnecessary details.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described withreference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In order to secure all links of a transaction, the first step is toinstall 1 a user transaction software in a portable communication device10 of a first transaction part in a secure way, wherein a user isidentified in a secure way and tied to the installation. One secure wayis to, at e.g. a bank office or other known part, install the usertransaction software in the portable radio communication device of thefirst transaction part or give a memory card or similar device having aninstallation program for the first transaction part thereon. Theidentity of the owner of the portable radio communication device ischecked in connection with the installation or delivery of the usertransaction software transaction program. Instead of checking theidentity directly at a bank office or other known part e.g. a registeredletter sent to the intended user can be used to verify the identity ofthe intended user. Finally the user transaction software is connected toan account at the bank or other part, such as a credit card account, auser account, an electronic wallet, etc. Another secure way to installthe user transaction software is to, at e.g. an authenticated Internetbank office or similar part, through a secure connection, e.g. a httpsconnection, install the user transaction software in the portable radiocommunication device of the first transaction part. The identity of theowner of the portable radio communication device is checked inconnection with the installation through e.g. PIN. Finally the usertransaction software is connected to an account at the bank or otherpart, such as a credit card account, a user account, an electronicwallet, etc.

The user transaction software is arranged to communicate with apredefined transaction server 12 when secure transactions are performed.Information of which account a user transaction software is connected tocan be predefined directly at the transaction server or be accessed bythe transaction server from the first transaction part whenever atransaction is to take place. Account balance and similar checks arepreferably performed prior to any finalization of a transaction.

When a secure Internet installation is utilized a mobile phone number ispreferably given to the distribution site, which in response theretosends a text message, such as an SMS, with a download URL to that mobilephone number, i.e. a so called over the air installation (OTAinstallation). By following that link in the mobile phone the usertransaction software is installed in the mobile phone. To first startthe application run by the user transaction software an activation code,given by the distribution site, is entered.

Further, a PIN is also required to be entered to run the application.

When a transaction 13 is to take place, wherein the second transactionpart is Internet based, such as an authenticated merchant secureInternet site 11 or a secure login, the transaction comprises thefollowing steps. The user of the portable radio communication device,i.e. the first transaction part, selects a “transaction” section of theuser transaction software to connect the first transaction part to thetransaction server. The first transaction part 10 activates itself,through an encoded/encrypted wireless communication, on the transactionserver 12, which transaction server 12 thereby puts the firsttransaction part 10 in an active transaction state on the transactionserver 12.

The first transaction part 10 preferably stays in the active transactionstate on the transaction server 12 until the first transaction part 10requests a non-active transaction state. Alternatively, the firsttransaction part 10 will be put into a non-active transaction state bythe transaction server 12 after a time-out. Further, the transactionserver 12 could also put the first transaction part 10 in a non-activestate after finalization of a transaction. By waiting for a requestbefore putting the first transaction part into a non-active state theadvantage is obtained that the user can perform several consecutivetransactions without having to reselect the “transaction” section of theuser transaction software. This is however preferably combined with atime out, which gives the advantage that the user does not forget to putthe portable radio communication device in a non-active transactionstate, which would be risky if another person gets hold of the portableradio communication device. From a secure perspective it would beadvantageous to put the first transaction part in a non-activetransaction state also after a transaction have been completed.

The first transaction part thereafter initiates the transaction byrequesting 2, through an encoded/encrypted wireless communication, atransaction identity of the transaction server. The wirelesscommunication can e.g. be performed through GPRS, 3G data, Wi-Fi orWiMAC, all of which could have some kind of built-in identityverification, and even infrared or Bluetooth, which however areanonymous and could require some added identity verification. Thetransaction server responds by sending 14 a transaction identity to thefirst transaction part, which transaction identity is unique during thewhole transaction but is preferably reusable after finalization of thetransaction, advantageously directly after finalization of thetransaction, i.e. when the transaction receipt has been sent.

The first transaction part enters 3 the returned transaction identity atthe merchant secure Internet site 11, i.e. the second transaction part11. The second transaction part 11 activates itself on the transactionserver 12, which transaction server 12 thereby puts the secondtransaction part 11 in an active transaction state on the transactionserver 12. The second transaction part thereafter sends 4, 15information of the transaction connected to the transaction identity tothe transaction server 12, preferably encrypted. The activation and thefollowing information of the transaction could also be performed in oneaction, such that the sending of information of the transaction to thetransaction server also puts the second transaction part in an activetransaction state on the transaction server. Transaction informationfrom the second transaction part that is sent with a transaction canvary, but typically includes the name of the second transaction part andthe transaction amount, and possibly also the product name, at apurchase. The name of the second transaction part could alternatively beextracted from the login of the second transaction part to the systeminstead of being sent together with the transaction, to ensure that suchinformation is not distorted. This is usually performed via a landline,but could also be performed via wireless communication. The secondtransaction part has previously registered an account at the transactionserver, in a way similarly performed for the first transaction part.Account information or similar information of the first transaction partis not necessary to give to the second transaction part and vice versa,since such information is known by the transaction server, and suchinformation should thus not be given to the second transaction part andvice versa.

The transaction server 12 identifies the first transaction part by theunique transaction identity sent by the second transaction part andpreferably requests 5, through an encoded/encrypted wirelesscommunication, a verification by the first transaction part of thetransaction information connected to the transaction identity. The usertransaction software requests 6 e.g. a PIN as verification of thetransaction information, such as name of the second transaction part andtransaction amount. The verification is returned, through anencoded/encrypted wireless communication, to the transaction serverconnected to the transaction identity.

After verification from the first transaction part the transactionserver finalizes 7 the transaction connected to the unique transactionidentity and sends a transaction receipt to both the first transactionpart, through an encoded/encrypted wireless communication, and thesecond transaction part. The transaction is only finalized provided thatthe accounts of both the first transaction part and the secondtransaction part accept the transaction.

The transaction has been described with a portable radio communicationdevice as the first transaction part and a merchant as the secondtransaction part. The reverse is however also possible wherein themerchant requests a unique transaction identity of the transactionserver, in this case preferably through a land line. The uniquetransaction identity is then communicated to the portable radiocommunication device from the merchant. However, information of thetransaction connected to the unique transaction identity is again sentfrom merchant to the predefined transaction server, which, by wirelesscommunication, sends the information of the transaction connected to theunique transaction identity to the portable radio communication device.The transaction connected to the unique transaction identity is stillverified at the portable radio communication device by a userverification, which verification connected to the unique transactionidentity is sent to the transaction server. The transaction connected tothe unique transaction identity is thereafter finalized based on theinformation of the transaction and the unique transaction identity, anda transaction receipt of the finalized transaction is sent from thetransaction server to the first and second transaction parts. Also inthis reverse procedure both transaction parts have individually putthemselves in an active transaction state on the transaction server.Without both transaction parts in the active transaction state thetransaction will not be finalized.

A similar method can be used for e.g. Internet bank login, or otherkinds of secure login or secure authentication. Instead of requesting atransaction identity from the transaction server a predefined identityis utilized, known by both the first transaction part and thetransaction server, such as a social security number, account number orsimilar. The user of the first transaction part preferably enters thispredefined identity at the second transaction part and thereby initiatesthe login at the second transaction part. Alternatively the first andsecond transaction parts are e.g. equipped with electronic communicationmeans, providing the possibility for the first transaction part to enterthe predefined identity at the second transaction part without the userneeding to perform it manually. The user of the first transaction partalso selects a “secure login” section of the user transaction softwareto connect the portable radio communication device to the transactionserver and thereby puts the first transaction part in an activetransaction state on the transaction server.

After receiving the predefined identity at the second transaction partthe second transaction part puts itself in an active transaction stateon the transaction server and requests a verification connected to thelogin of the transaction server, based on the predefined identity. Thetransaction server checks that the portable radio communication devicecorresponding to the predefined identity is connected to the transactionserver, at least by checking that the first transaction part is in anactive transaction state on the transaction server. The transactionserver preferably additionally requests a verification connected to thelogin from the first transaction part, or alternatively checks that theportable radio communication device of the first transaction part is on,which is performed without any active action by the user thereof.

The verification in the portable radio communication device is e.g. aPIN. The transaction server will when both transaction part are in theactive state, or after verification when used, send a verification tothe second transaction part confirming that the portable radiocommunication device has been verified, which will allow log in of thefirst transaction part into the second transaction part. In this case noPIN of other password has been transferred via the Internet connection.Further, the PIN has not been transferred between the transaction serverand the second transaction part. The second part is only receives aconfirmation that the identification is verified. Transactions at thesecond transaction part can hereafter be performed as previouslydescribed.

Examples of different transaction are e.g. point of sales (POS)transaction, person to person (P2P) transfer, micro payments, person tomachine (vending machine) transaction, secure identification, electronicidentification, secure authentication, etc.

It will be obvious that the present invention may be varied in aplurality of ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as departurefrom the scope of the present invention as defined by the appendedclaims. All such variations as would be obvious for a person skilled inthe art are intended to be included within the scope of the presentinvention as defined by the appended claims.

1.-11. (canceled)
 12. A system for secure transactions comprising: aportable radio communication device of a first transaction party, inwhich portable radio communication device a user transaction softwarehas been installed in a secure way, wherein a user is identified in asecure way and tied to the installation; and a predefined transactionserver, with which the user transaction software is arranged tocommunicate when secure transactions are performed; wherein thepredefined transaction server is arranged to: put a first transactionparty in an active transaction state on the predefined transactionserver when the first transaction party activates itself through anencrypted wireless communication from the portable radio communicationdevice to the predefined transaction server; put the first transactionparty in a non-active transaction state on the predefined transactionserver only at the occurrence of one of the following: the firsttransaction party requesting a non-active transaction state; a time-outof a transaction; or a finalization of a transaction; put a secondtransaction party in an active transaction state on the predefinedtransaction server when the second transaction party activates itself onthe predefined transaction server; receive transaction information for atransaction, including a transaction identity, from the secondtransaction party; identify the first transaction party in thetransaction using the transaction identity; and finalize the transactionif both transaction parties have an active transaction state on thepredefined transaction server.
 13. The system according to claim 12,wherein the predefined transaction server is arranged to create thetransaction identity upon request from said first transaction party, andsend the transaction identity to the first transaction party.
 14. Thesystem according to claim 12, wherein the predefined transaction serveris arranged to: send the transaction information through an encryptedwireless communication to the first transaction party; and receive averification through an encrypted wireless communication from the firsttransaction party.